Dealing With Treachery
by BlackFox12
Summary: Deverry series. My take on what happens between Gwin and Rhodry after Jill and Salamander leave


**Dealing With Treachery**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from the Deverry series by Katherine Kerr, and I'm not making any money from this fic

**Summary:** My take on what happens between Gwin and Rhodry after Jill and Salamander leave

**Warning(s):** Spanking; spoilers for up to book four of the Deverry series; some mentions of violence

* * *

Rhodry was only slightly aware of his brother and Jill leaving the room. Most of his attention was on the man in front of him – a man he had the strange feeling that he'd met before he'd even been taken into slavery.

But for all Rhodry knew, he had. Certainly, he was no closer to remembering any more of his past. He had doubts that he would ever remember anything.

But it was quite clear that Gwin hadn't known who Rhodry was... And Rhodry felt quite strongly that he'd never seen Gwin before. Yet how else could he recognise the other man? Perhaps it was something he should ask Nevyn.

But right now, Rhodry had the man in front of him to deal with. His words had greatly affected Gwin; and though the other man wasn't crying anymore, he wasn't making eye contact with Rhodry. "I meant what I said," Rhodry told him. "You're my man now. You follow me."

"My life belongs to you." Finally, Gwin looked up at him. "I would have let you kill me, but..." His voice trailed off, and he took a deep breath. "I will do whatever you want."

It occurred to Rhodry that this man may well be tormented with guilt over what he had done before now. Even if Gwin didn't feel anything at the moment, the time would come when the numbness faded. And if Rhodry didn't do something about it, Gwin's own emotions would end up destroying him.

Was this something Rhodry had had experience with in his own past? If only he could remember...

After a brief hesitation, Rhodry pulled his sword from his belt. Briefly, he clasped the hilt; and wondered if it would ever feel completely right in his hands. The weight of it was all very well and good, he supposed, but the sword didn't feel like it belonged to him.

Rhodry finally lay the sword to one side, and then removed his belt and doubled it over in his hands. When he glanced up, it was to find Gwin watching him with wide eyes. "Remove your trousers, turn round, and place your hands on the wall," Rhodry ordered, knowing that Gwin would have no choice but to obey.

"Yes, Rhodry." With hands that shook a little, Gwin fumbled at the fastenings on his trousers and pushed them down. He stepped out of his trousers and put them to one side. Then – slowly – he turned round and placed his hands on the wall, leaning forward so that his upper body was bent over slightly.

Rhodry stepped forward and placed his hand on Gwin's back. He rested the belt against the other man's bottom, raised it, and then lashed it down hard.

Gasping slightly, Gwin rose up on his tiptoes. Rhodry didn't say anything – just waited for him to get back into position. When he did, Rhodry smacked him again with the belt – directly below the first stripe – and continued for another ten, until Gwin was stamping his feet and Rhodry could feel the heat without even needing to touch the other man's bottom. Although it wasn't bared, he could see the redness even through Gwin's underwear.

Now that Rhodry had paused, Gwin tried to push himself up. However, Rhodry kept his hand on Gwin's back and shook his head. "No. It's not over yet." He dropped the belt onto the floor and pulled Gwin up and over to the corner of the room. "I'm going to try something different. It occurs to me that I could beat you to within an inch of your life, and you wouldn't learn anything from it. So I'm going to put you across my knees and spank you like a child." As he spoke, he guessed that that had probably happened to him.

Gwin turned a little pale, but when he spoke, he sounded firm and determined. "If you believe it's necessary..."

"I do." Rhodry sat down on one of the wooden chairs and pulled Gwin forward and across his lap. With one yank, he pulled Gwin's underwear down to his knees, noticing that the thrashing with the belt had left some vivid red stripes across the other man's bottom. Despite how big the other man was, Rhodry was a little surprised at how easily he fit across his lap. Of course, it wasn't like he was a small man himself.

Rhodry ran a hand over one of the stripes, and felt Gwin twitch slightly. "I know you said you didn't know what you felt right now, but the time will come when you realise just what you've done in your life has cost you. Don't do anything stupid when you start feeling it – come and speak to me. If necessary, I'll punish you again."

"I understand," Gwin said quietly.

"Good." Rhodry raised his hand and brought it down hard enough to make Gwin jerk. He knew that a hand spanking across the knee wouldn't hurt as much as using the belt – but Rhodry felt that the humiliation and giving up of control was important. He wanted to make it clear to Gwin that he was his man now; that his old life was something that needed to stay in the past.

For several long minutes, the only sound in the room was that of a hand smacking a bared bottom. It didn't take long for Gwin to be squirming across Rhodry's lap – particularly when Rhodry's hand landed on one of the stripes. Gwin wasn't exactly trying to get away... but at a particularly violent twist, Rhodry turned his attention to Gwin's as-yet-untouched thighs.

Rhodry wasn't very surprised when Gwin finally just put his head down and began to sob. After the tears began, he landed ten extra-hard smacks; and then stopped, rubbing Gwin's back and letting him cry it all out. "It's all right. You're away from them now, and you never have to go back."

It took a few moments for Gwin to be able to stand up. As he pulled his underwear and trousers up over his very sore and red bottom, he watched Rhodry with a look that was akin to a dog's devotion. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I'm so sorry for my part in what happened to you. I understand if you feel like you can never trust me."

Rhodry placed his hand on Gwin's shoulder and squeezed. "We'll have no more talk of apologies and what went on between us. What's in the past will stay there." He paused briefly. "But, of course, I won't be above punishing you if I believe it's needed again."

For some reason, Gwin looked relieved as he nodded.

"Come on – let's go and find Jill and Salamander and get out of this place and its connections to your past," Rhodry said firmly. Still with one hand on Gwin's shoulder, he steered the other man towards the door.


End file.
